Holiday Greetings #10
by KaitlynRose
Summary: Bridger and Secretary Noyce discuss the past, the present and the future, including Lucas and Bridger's engagement to Kristin


I do not own seaQuest or its characters. I am not making a profit for this story, it is for   
entertainment purposes only.  
  
Holiday Greetings  
By: Kaitlyn Rose  
  
  
Ford looked at the floor and shook his head. Lucas was laying on the floor, the top half of his   
body hidden under Mr. Ortiz's console that he was currently trying to fix. That in of itself wasn't unusual,   
what was, was the small fur ball sitting on the boy's stomach while he worked. He couldn't believe that the   
Captain had actually let a cat onto the seaQuest, and had even gone so far as to allow the critter on the   
bridge.  
  
The fur ball looked up at him and meowed softly. He knew that Bridger had his own way of doing   
things, but honestly. A kid, a dolphin, and now a cat! What was next? Not that he didn't like Lucas, he   
liked the kid plenty. Hell, Lucas had saved everyone's life on more than one occasion. Actually the same   
could be said for Darwin, but the cat just seemed a bit too much. Kind of like the jack-o-lanterns had been   
a bit much. Sometimes he had to remind himself that he was actually working aboard a UEO submarine.  
He was still plotting his revenge for the pumpkins. He turned to the crew and began asking for   
system updates.  
  
"Ouch," Lucas yelled when he burned his fingers on a couple of exposed wires.  
  
"You okay?" Miguel asked him.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Lucas griped, shifting under the console. Charlie didn't seem to appreciate the   
movement and he jumped off of Lucas' stomach and began to explore on his own.  
  
"I found the problem," Lucas said. "It was some bad wires."  
  
"So does that mean it'll be fixed soon?" Miguel asked. He had sat uselessly on the bridge for   
most of his shift.  
  
"Yeah, just a bit more," Lucas confirmed.  
  
Charlie went looking for a new place to make himself comfortable and hopped up into the   
Captain's chair and curled up into a small ball, tucking his tail under him.  
  
Nathan stepped onto the bridge and said hello to Jonathon. The commander returned the greeting.  
  
"Ouch!" Lucas yelled again, having burned his fingers once more. "Damn wires!"  
  
"Lucas, watch your mouth," Nathan warned with a grin.  
  
"Yes, sir," Lucas replied. Suddenly sparks started flying from Miguel's console, making the man   
and Lucas jump away for safety.  
  
"Lucas, what did you do?" Miguel shouted.  
  
"I didn't do anything. For some reason all your wiring is fried. When I tried to repair the wire the   
rush of current took out the rest."  
  
"Great!" Miguel groaned. "How long till it's fixed now?"  
  
"I don't know, probably a couple of hours. I have to go get all new wiring and start from scratch."  
  
"Lucas!"  
  
"It's not my fault," Lucas protested.  
  
Nathan figured it was time for cooler heads to interrupt. "Lucas, go get the supplies you need.   
Mr. Ortiz, why don't you go ahead and call it a day."  
  
"Aye, Captain," Miguel grumbled. He stormed off the bridge. Lucas also left the bridge to get   
what he'd need to fix the console.  
  
Nathan was about to sit down in his chair but stopped just in time to avoid sitting on a certain gray   
tabby that had a habit of being where he wasn't supposed to be.  
  
"Charlie," Nathan laughed. He picked the kitten up and held it, scratching it's ear. The kitten   
purred contentedly. He looked up to see both Ford and Hitchcock staring at him.  
  
"What?" Nathan said.  
  
"Nothing," the commanders replied in unison, each turning away quickly. Nathan smiled.  
  
"Captain, I've got an incoming call from Secretary Noyce," Tim said.  
  
"Route it to the wardroom, I'll take it in there," Nathan said, taking Charlie with him. He closed   
the door behind him and turned on the vid-link.  
  
"Hi Bill," Nathan said.  
  
"Hello, Nathan. Uh, Nathan, is that a cat?"  
  
"Actually, it's a kitten," Nathan replied.  
  
"Uh huh. What's a kitten doing on your boat?" Noyce asked.  
  
"It's a long story," Nathan replied, setting Charlie down on the table in front of the vid-link.  
  
"And I bet the primary character in that story would be Lucas," Noyce teased.  
  
"That about sums it up," Nathan laughed. "This is Charlie. So what can I do for you, Bill?"  
  
"Actually, this was just a social call. Figured I'd call and say Merry Christmas and stuff like that   
before the holiday got into full swing around here and I forgot."  
  
"Well thanks, and same to you. How's Janice doing? Oh, she's great. She's been cooking up a   
storm for the past three days, getting ready for company and all that. By the way, congratulations, I heard   
you and Dr. Westphalen are engaged."  
  
"Yes, we are, but the wedding isn't for a year," Nathan said.  
  
"Why so long?"  
  
"Kristin wanted to take it slow, much to Lucas' chagrin. He can't wait to call her mom."  
  
"How is Lucas doing? Janice and I were so relieved to hear that he had come out of his coma, or   
what ever it was."  
  
"He's doing wonderful. He still doesn't remember anything that happened, which I am eternally   
grateful for. I still can't believe how horrible that whole experience was."  
  
"I can understand that. I read your report five times and it still blows my mind. If it hadn't been   
for the fact that most of your crew saw the monster I would have thought you'd gone insane."  
  
"For a while there I thought I was insane. But life has gotten back to normal around here."  
  
"So when did the kitten arrive. I would hardly call a kitten on the UEO flagship normal," Noyce   
joked.  
  
"We got him about three weeks ago. At first I had my doubts about letting him come, but I'm   
glad I did. He's been real good for Lucas. You know about Lucas' nightmares, right?"  
  
"Yeah, you've mentioned them."  
  
"Well, since Charlie came Lucas has only had one nightmare in all that time."  
  
"I take it the cat sleeps with him?" Noyce asked.  
  
"Yeah, and somehow the fur ball helps Lucas to sleep better." Nathan smiled as the picture of   
Lucas cuddled in his bed with Charlie curled around the boys golden hair came to mind.  
  
"I'm not surprised," Noyce said. "I seem to remember actually reading research on the calming   
effects of animals on people."  
  
"Kristin mentioned the same thing."  
  
Noyce laughed when Charlie walked up to the screen and swatted at him with his paw. "I see his   
manners are as good as Darwin's"  
  
"Darwin loves the cat. He'll swim up to the side of the pool and let Charlie climb onto his back.   
So far he's only dunked him once, but after Lucas and Kristin explained that Charlie doesn't like the water   
he hasn't done it since."  
  
A knock on the door caused both Nathan and Bill to look at the door.  
  
"Yes," Nathan called. Lucas popped his head in.  
  
"Dad, have you seen Charlie?" Lucas asked.  
  
"He's here," Nathan said, lifting the kitten to hand him to Lucas. "Thanks," Lucas said, taking the   
cat. "Hi, Mr. Secretary."  
  
"Hi Lucas, and just call me Bill. We're practically family now. Save the formalities for the   
public."  
  
"Okay, Mr. uh, I mean, Bill. Happy holidays."  
  
"You too," Noyce replied.  
  
"Well, I better go," Lucas said and ducked out of the room.  
  
"Well, I guess I better go to," Noyce said. "I have to have dinner with my in-laws tonight. If I'm   
not ready on time Janice will have my hide." Nathan laughed. "Just wait, you're about to get a new ball   
and chain yourself," Noyce reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I am, although I don't think Kristin would be to happy to hear herself being   
referred to as a ball and chain."  
  
"Probably not. Anyway, have a nice holiday," Noyce told him.  
  
"You too, and tell Janice I said Merry Christmas." Nathan replied and then broke the connection.   
Yes he was definitely going to have a nice holiday. In fact, it was going to be the best one he'd had in   
years.  
  
  
  



End file.
